Organic electroluminescent module and method of manufacturing the same

Abstract

An organic electroluminescent module of the present invention includes an organic EL panel and an electrical connection unit. The electrical connection unit includes a flexible substrate including a body disposed adjacent to a light-emitting surface of the organic EL panel, and a contact piece defined by a cutout in the body and disposed remote from the light-emitting surface of the organic EL panel; a capacitance sensing circuit and drive circuits formed on a surface of the body; lands formed on a surface of the contact piece; and metal layers formed on a surface of the contact piece in portions overlapping with the lands.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An organic electroluminescent module comprising:
 an organic electroluminescent panel; and 
 an electrical connection unit disposed on a light-emitting side of the organic electroluminescent panel, the electrical connection unit comprising:
 a flexible substrate comprising:
 a body disposed on the light-emitting side and periphery of the organic electroluminescent panel; and 
 a contact piece defined by at least one cutout in the body and disposed on the opposite side to the light-emitting side of the organic electroluminescent panel; 
 
 a capacitance sensing circuit disposed on one surface of the body; 
 drive circuits disposed on the one surface of the body and configured to drive the organic electroluminescent panel; 
 lands disposed on one surface of the contact piece and connecting the drive circuits to the organic electroluminescent panel; and 
 metal layers disposed on the other surface of the contact piece in portions overlapping with the lands. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The organic electroluminescent module of  claim 1 , wherein the organic electroluminescent panel includes a pair of planar electrodes. 
     
     
       3. The organic electroluminescent module of  claim 1 , wherein the electrical connection unit includes a light-transmitting portion for transmission of light from the organic electroluminescent panel. 
     
     
       4. The organic electroluminescent module of  claim 1 , wherein the lands and the metal layers are composed of the same material. 
     
     
       5. The organic electroluminescent module of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 contact electrodes disposed on the opposite side to the light-emitting side of the organic electroluminescent panel, wherein 
 the lands of the contact piece are connected to the respective contact electrodes through an anisotropic conductive film, conductive paste, or metal paste. 
 
     
     
       6. A method of manufacturing an organic electroluminescent module comprising:
 an organic electroluminescent panel; and 
 an electrical connection unit disposed on a light-emitting side of the organic electroluminescent panel, the method comprising the steps of:
 forming, on one surface of the flexible substrate, a capacitance sensing circuit, drive circuits configured to drive the organic electroluminescent panel, and lands connecting the drive circuits to the organic electroluminescent panel; 
 forming metal layers on the other surface of the flexible substrate in portions overlapping with the lands; 
 fabricating the electrical connection unit by providing at least one cutout on the periphery of the lands of the flexible substrate, the cutout defining a body including the sensing circuit and the drive circuits and a contact piece including the lands and the metal layers; 
 sliding the organic electroluminescent panel in the surface direction of the contact piece into a gap between the body and the contact piece of the flexible substrate; and 
 bonding contact electrodes of the organic electroluminescent panel to the contact piece of the electrical connection unit by thermal compression.